"The second sun…"
Those words echoed throughout the entire world. The voice came from nowhere and everywhere. Everyone stopped in their tracks, but the sound of their footsteps continued to echo. The clock clicked too loudly to be normal, the shadows danced to a melody that hadn't begun – then reality cracked. A massive void appeared above the city, swallowing the sun. The civilian jaws dropped open, their eyes reflected indescribable fear.
Suddenly, the world was covered in fog, the faces of citizens were shrouded in a thick gray mist. The void released thick black smoke that covered the city in just a few seconds. A man was sitting at a café, wearing an all-black outfit. His gaze wandered into the crack in the sky. His eyes dilated and he let go of the teacup in his hand. The cup shattered on the ground, but no sound came after.
Then, all hell broke loose. Demonic creatures swarmed out of the rift, their skin red like blood and horns protruding from their skull. Their bodies were covered in black scars as if they were burnt in an oven. But strangest of all…they looked human – too human. They flew over the city with their wings and landed on top of buildings. They opened their mouths to reveal a pair of jagged teeth that seemed to be rotting.
Some had the tails of snakes and monkeys, some had the heads of bison and bulls, some even had the bodies of crocodiles and lizards. They spoke in a deep, demonic tone that sounded like nails on a chalk board. The people covered their ears in pain and fell to their knees. Then, the demons whispered two words that shook the world again.
"Bring the second sun…"
"Bring the second sun."
"Bring the second sun!"
"BRING THE SECOND SUN!!!"
Then, the smoke ignited and explod–
"AHHHHHHHH!!!"
Missio screamed in agony. His chest burned. Breath caught. Sweat dripped down his chin like oil. His pupils contracted as he remembered. The same dread. The same fire. The same silence after. After a while, his breathing stabilized. He let go of his chest and fell back onto his bed. He was in a dark room with no light. He sat up and pulled the curtains down.
He closed his eyes as sunlight blasted through his window. He lifted his hand and covered his eyes. After a few moments, he lowered his hand and gazed outside. It was beautiful scenery, the birds were chirping, the gardener was watering the plants. Guards wearing pristine white suits with golden accents stood at attention by the gate. He took a sharp breath, remembering the nightmare he had.
'That day again…'
He clutched his head and shook his head violently. His thoughts cleared up as he lowered his hand.
"Not the first time…Let's get ready, shall we?" He muttered to himself.
He stood up, still wearing his pajamas. He turned on the lights and went to his own washroom. His room was brightly colored like the nursery of a child. He walked out with a towel on his waist and opened his closet. He picked up his work uniform which was an full black outfit.
After a few minutes, he came out of his room. He was wearing a black windbreaker, black shirt, black vest, black cargo pants and black sneakers with fingerless gloves. On his back-waist was a katana in its sheath and on the back of his windbreaker, there was written "EOC" in big bold white letters. He strolled through the long hallway, eventually making it to the stairs. He descended the big staircase, stepping onto the ground floor.
The living room was a lavish place with high ceilings and white walls. Massive sets of couches parallel to each other with a long wooden table in the middle were placed at the center of the room. Underneath was a woolen carpet colored red with golden accents. He moved towards the dining hall. After opening another door, he entered a large wooden room with a chandelier.
He placed his katana on the table and sat down. Moments later, a maid brought him breakfast. He had over-easy eggs, cheese, fruit, and meat on marble plates in front of him. He looked at the maid and smiled slightly.
"Thanks, Miss Lilla."
The old woman whose brown hair was turning white, looked at Missio with a gentle smile.
"No worries, lord. Just quickly finish your breakfast. You're going to be late for work."
"Right…" Missio's voice cracked like he had forgotten to speak.
He picked up the knife and fork placed it on the table and began digging into the delightful meal. He cut open the eggs, the yolk spilling out like fresh honey. He licked his lips and cut it in half, eating it with a big bite. He sulked at the taste of the meal blessed his tongue.
'Miss Lilla, always makes the best meals…'
He continued eating his breakfast and after a while, he was finished. He rubbed his belly which grew a little. He pushed the chair back and stood up.
"Alright, I'll be heading out." He stretched his arms.
Miss Lilla nodded and began to clean up his mess. He looked at the maid with bubbly eyes. He lingered on her for more than he wanted and she was done cleaning up. He snapped back and picked up his katana. He exited the dining hall and sat down on the couch. A few minutes later, he realized he had forgotten something.
"Wait…where's my Music box?" He tapped the side of his waist.
He panicked but before he could stand up, Lilla was beside him with a black box and black headphones in her hands.
"Forgive me, my lord. I forgot to tell you I washed your Music box the other day." She said with the same smile as before.
"Here it is."
Missio blinked. Before taking the box, he noticed that Lilla didn't have a shadow even though all the blinds were open and sunlight was seeping in. He shrugged it off and took the box and headphones from her hands. He didn't question it – not anymore. He turned it over. The box was too black — not dark, but absent. Light bent around it, refusing to land as if it knew it would become nothing once it touched its surface.
The headphones had the same characteristics as the strange box. He calmy connected the headphone to the Music box using a wire. He clipped the Music box onto his belt and put on the headphones. He pressed play. The hum of reality faltered for a moment before the music started playing. He looked at an old-school mechanical clock. The clock ticked — then slowed, its hands dragging through time.
He sighed, stood up and halted at the door. He looked back and saw Lilla, smiling gently at him. He bit his lip and looked forward. He stepped outside and entered a vast garden filled with flowers and plants. The gardener from before was still watering the plants. He looked to be a middle-aged man. Missio strolled on the pavement, heading towards the garage.
He opened the large, white metal door. The room was lit up by the flick of a switch. He walked past all the luxurious cars and stopped at a bike. It was black in color and was low to the ground. He picked up the helmet on it and sat on it. The bike turned on, and an interface was present. He scanned his face and unlocked itself, revealing the speedometer in digital form. He revved the bike once and sped between the cars. The garage doors closed behind him as the guards opened the gate to the garage.
He stopped outside the manor and looked around. The skyscrapers stood above the clouds like unmoving giants. Their peaks covered half the sky, and they shadowed half the city.
"Hold up…I forgot to lock the helmet." He muttered to himself.
He locked the helmet with a tap. The mirrored visor instantly closed on him and presented him with a digital GPS. He selected a location, and the AI immediately created a route to his destination.
"Nice."
The helmet tightened around his head as if it was trying to stick his skin. He sped off with a blast, swerving around curbs like a professional. He turned corners with unnecessary caution. People glanced at him as he passed the streets. His windbreaker blew in the wind as he stuck himself close to the bike.